Apparel-corset.



Patented Aug. 28, |900.

A. H. WADE.

APPAREL CORSET. (Application tiled Apr. 12, us.)

2 Sheets-Sheet E.

(No Model.)

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No. 656,9!3. Patented Aug. 28, |900. A. H. WADE.

APPAREL CORSET.

(Application tiled Apr. 12, 1899.)

2 VSheets--Sheet 2.

PATENT Ormes.

ALZIRA I-IEVITT WADE, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

APPAREL- CORSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part. of Letters Patent No. 656,913, dated August28, 1900. Application filed April l2, 1899. Serial No. 712,754. (Nomodel.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALZIRA HEWITT WADE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State ofMinnesota, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Corsetsor Vaists, of which the-following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to waist-s or corsets, and more especially to theprovision of a reversible garment of that character-that is to say, onewhich may be worn either side out.

In carrying out my invention I divide the garment vertically from thewaist-line and centrally through the bust portions and on each side ofthe back portions, andfconneot such divisions by a series of strips ofelast-ic` material in order to give iieXibility to the gar# ment and topermit freedom of motion of the body without unduly' compressing orconfining the body, and I prefer also to use an elastic lacing-cord atthe back.

Another feature of my invention is to provide fastening devices whichmay be projected from either side of the garment, so as to permit theiruse on either side, and thus admit of the garment being worn either sideout.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, in the severalfigures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure l is aperspective view with the parts assembled. Fig. 2 is a plan view withthe parts laid out flat. Fig. 3 is a detail ofthe lower part of thegarment looking at the front, partly closed and partly opened. Fig. 4 isa detail showing the reversible fastenings. Figs. 5 and 6 arecross-sections showing the fastenings in the two positions of use. Fig.7 shows one of the fastenings in two views.

I do not limit my invention to any particular pattern or cut of corsetor waist, but have shown the garment as composed of front sections ctand Z), body-sections c c, side sections d d, and backsections e e,which latter are continued upwardly at e to form portions ofshoulder-straps. The backsff contain eyelets g. The sections a c and b care separated vertically from the waist up through the longitudinalcenters of the bust portions and are connected by horizontal strips 7Lof elastic set rather close together and stitched in between the pliesconstituting the garment. These "elastics enable the corset or Waist toconform to the person and the movements of the body without undue strainand with a maximum of comfortto the wearer. The sections e e and f f arelikewise separated and connected by elastics t', arranged horizontallyand stitched in between the plies of these sections. These elasticsoperate at the back, on either side of the spine, similarly to the frontelastics h, and the elasticity at the back may be increased andpreferably is increased by the use of an elastic 'cord k, although I donot limit my invention to the use of an elastic lacing-cord. Theshoulder-straps e' e have elastic ends Z, which are supplied with buttons m to engage buttonholes n in the body portions c c, and thus theweight thrown upon the corset is carried by the shoulder-straps in partand yieldingly so carried through the intervention of the elasticportionsZ Z.

In order to permit of the reversal of the garment-that is to say, toadmit of its `being Worn either side out-I prefer to employ buttonholeso in the piece a and buttons p on the section b. These buttons, whichmay be of ordinary construction, are secured to one face of the sectionb by means of tabs q, which are sewed in under a flat braid r. Thesection b is also provided, adjacent to the buttons, withvertically-arranged buttonholes s in such a manner that when it isdesired to reverse the garment the buttons may be passed through thebuttonholes s from the position shown in Fig. -5 to the position shownin Fig. 6 and as indicated also in Fig. 3.

The garment may be supplied with any usual or approved stiifeners orbones, such as indicated at t in Figs. 5 and 6.

I do not limit this present invention in reversible corsets or waists tothe use of buttons and buttonholes as the fastening medium. The garmentmay be divided also at other points and provided with strips ofelastic-as, for example, at the sides.

My corset or Waist may be used with or without shoulder-straps withoutdeparting from my invention.

There is a decided advantage in arranging the front elastics in lineswhich pass through the centers of the bust portions in givingflexibility to the garment and in permitting freedom of motion to thebody without undue IOO compression and without distortion and in thepreservation of the natural con figuration. In those constructions whichhave used upright lines of elastics prior to my invention these lines ofelastics have been to one side or the other of this central bust-lineand have been found, in my experience, to be open to the objectionswhich my arrangement recties. Moreover, in at least one priorconstruction the efliciency of the garment has been made dependent uponthe arrangement of the elastic strips at front and rear in line withthe-respective hooks and eyes on the busks, so that there is a directstrain entirely around the corset at the several connections. I avoidthe necessity for any such arrangement by running the elastic stripscentrally through the bust portions, and because there is an utterirrelation between my elastic strips and the garment-fastenings I canincrease the number of such strips indefinitely.

What'I claim isl. The herein-described corset or Waist,hav

ing the front sections Ct and l?, and the bodysections c, c, an openingin each half of the corset or waist between said sections running fromthe top of the corset centrally through the breast portions toward theWaist, and elastic connections between the edges of these openings,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The herein-described corset or waist,hav ing the front sections Ctand b, and the bodysections c, c, an opening in each half of the corsetor Waist between said sections running from the top of .the corsetcentrally through the breast portion toward the Waist, and elasticconnections between the edges, the said elastic connections beingarranged irrelatively to the corset or waist fastenings, and means tofasten the garment about the person, substantially as specied.

3. The herein-described corset or Waist-,having the front sections ctand b and the bodysections c, c, an opening in each half of the corsetor waist between said sections running from the top of the corset orwaist centrally through the breast portions toward the waist, elasticconnections between the edges of these openings arranged irrelatively tothe corset or waist fastenings, back sections e, e, and backs f,f, alsoseparated by openings, elastic strips connecting said back sections andbacks, and means to fasten the garment about the person, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified. l

4. A reversible corset or waist, adapted to be Worn either side out,fastening devices applied to the meeting edges of the garment, andopenings in the garment through which one of the complemental members ofthe said fastening devices may be passed so as to present said memberson that side or face of the garment which for the time being is theoutside, thereby to adapt the other members of the fastening devices forcooperation therewith, substantially as described.

5. A reversible corset or waist, provided with fastening devicesconsisting of buttonholes on one side of the opening in the garment,buttons secured to the other side of the garment by means of tabs, andbuttonholes arranged adjacent to said buttons and through which the saidbuttons may be projected, the said buttons being adapted to engage thebuttonholes on the other side, whether the said buttons stand off fromthe buttonholes made in the section to Which they are applied or beprojected through such buttonholes to the opposite side of the side ofthe garment to which they are applied, substantially as described.

6. A corset-section, provided with a front portion having an openingrunning from its top centrally through the breast portion toward thewaist, and with elastic connections between the edges of this opening,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of April,A. D. 1899.

ALZIRA HEWITT WADE.

Witnesses:

GEORGE C. RIPLEY, C. E. Coon.

